We send greetings to you from Tanzania. Our time here thus far has been very rewarding, and very busy. At times it is very challenging to get Internet facilities.The team is pictured from left to right: Grace Wood, Tom Belton (Team Leader), Maxene Henry, Gail Duncan, Helen Brown, and Laura Belton.
After literally months of preparation and the uncertain travelling climate after the events in England the week before we left, our team of SCAW travelling volunteers met at Toronto Airport at 11:00 AM on August 16th, all primed for what might lay ahead of us in the next three weeks plus. We had prepared as best as we could over the previous five and a half months ... and then we were off.
Fortunately we were not flying through Heathrow, but through Washington Dulles Airport. It took us a little over an hour to get to Washington and then seventeen long hours to Addis Abiba, Ethiopia through Rome. And that was a long day of flying -- fully twenty-five and a half hours. Our stay in Addis Abiba, although short, was very interesting since we met very interesting and friendly Ethiopians. They were most welcoming and graciously friendly. It kind of made us wish we were going to be staying there longer. Next time we will have to make a longer stopover.
We arrived in Dar es Salaam at noon on Friday, August 18th to be met by our hosts Mama Wandoa and her son, Alfred, and his three children: Junior, Annette, and Pee. They took us to the apartment we are renting where we rested up for dinner.
It wasn't long before I was behind the wheel of our car taking my team out for our initial dinner. Fortunately I was able to remember where the Slip Way was -- even after dark.
Saturday night we attended an AIDS Awareness meeting that Mama held with a youth group, detailing the topic of AIDS and AIDS prevention.
On Sunday we attended church with Mama where I gave my first try at Swahili, telling the congregation who we were and what we stood for -- yes, all in Swahili. It was a grind, but I was able to get through it in an understandable manner to the delight of the parishoners. After the service I presented a copy of the Ottawa Citizen's extensive coverage of AIDS and the recent AIDS Conference in Toronto to Mama and the Pastor. It was appreciatively received.
In concluding this first of what I hope will be many interesting reports detailing our experiences and adventures here in Tanzania, I wish to lay out the format for future reports. Each member of our team will try to send at least two reports so you can see our trip through their eyes. I want them to be as open and frank with their own analysis and descriptions of their experiences as they see it.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy and learn about our important work from these reports.
We send you all our best wishes and love.
Cheers,
Tom Belton, Team Leader
SCAW 2006 Tanzania Travelling Team
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